Villa Musica Receives $72,200 From Prebys Foundation To Grow Musical Biographies

The Prebys Foundation recently announced the launch of its Healing Through the Arts and Nature initiative, which awarded $5.2 Million to 59 nonprofits across San Diego.

These grant awards will support programs serving youth, veterans, justice-impacted individuals, and historically underserved communities, offering proactive ways to enhance quality of life in a post-pandemic world.

This effort is rooted in growing evidence that non-clinical approaches, such as spending time in nature and engaging with the arts, can reduce social isolation, improve mental health, and foster a stronger sense of community.

Villa Musica, San Diego's Community Music Center  is the recipient of a $72,200 grant from the Prebys Foundation to expand their Musical Biographies Program, serving San Diego Seniors with Dementia.

Dr. Fiona Chatwin, Executive and Artistic Director of Villa Musica shared “The Prebys Foundation is making such an enormous impact in San Diego's non profit sector's growth and sustainability. As we enter our 20th year in operation, their support allows us to expand our Musical Biographies program, an initiative that is very dear to us. 

In partnership with the UCSD Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, this program is designed to bring together people with all forms of dementia, their care-givers, and family in a unique multi-sensorial experience that centers around music and memory. Participants work with Villa Musica and UCSD staff, care givers, and extended family members to identify music that inspires memory; memory of an important occasion, an event, an era, and then design and decorate a personal memory book that brings their musical choices to life. The support from The Prebys Foundation will allow us to expand the number of seniors we serve - by creating the Musical Biographies website, training videos, and modular curriculum that can be downloaded for folks all over the country.”

Grant Oliphant, CEO of the Prebys Foundation shared "We are incredibly proud to support the Healing Through the Arts & Nature initiative. These grantees exemplify the transformative power of creativity and the natural world in fostering healing and well-being. Their innovative projects not only enrich our communities but also provide vital pathways to recovery and resilience. We look forward to the profound impact their work will have on individuals and society as a whole."